WWALS Watershed Coalition advocates for conservation and stewardship of the Withlacoochee, Willacoochee, Alapaha, Little, and Suwannee River watersheds in south Georgia and north Florida through education, awareness, environmental monitoring, and citizen activities.

Tag Archives: SRWMD

The deputy went in to see what the ruckus was about.
It was Lu Merritt, Mike Roth, Jim Tatum, Mike Kern, and then me,
in extensive discussion about a water withdrawal permit request,
that Jim Tatum called
Words of Truth to the Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD) Board.

Confirmed today by telephone:
FDEP is analyzing DNA and human tracers such as sucralose
monthly at at least three stations:
on the Withlacoochee and Alapahoochee Rivers at the Georgia-Florida line,
and at the Withlacoochee River Confluence with the Suwannee River at Ellaville.
Those are the top center left blue stars on this map.

Second magnitude Rock Bluff Springs has been accessible only by boat
up its 700-foot run from the Suwannee River, but SRWMD has acquired
175 acres around the spring that is opening as J.H. Anderson Jr. Park,
at the end of this month.

Update 2019-03-14: The Valdosta City Clerk says the Valdosta City Manager says “the public will have an opportunity to speak.”

As discussed in Lake City when the dozen downstream Florida counties passed their resolution,
and as foreshadowed by Emma Wheeler on WCTV,
and now confirmed by Valdosta City Clerk Teresa Bolden,
elected officials from Valdosta and twelve Florida counties will meet
to discuss Valdosta wastewater spills and how to stop them.
She also confirmed that since there will be a quorum of the Valdosta City Council there, this will be a public meeting.

It’s not clear the public will be able to speak,
but you can come and see for yourself.
As I told the Valdosta City Clerk, this afternoon I already
invited the Suwannee River Water Management District and everybody else who was in their meeting.
Valdosta will probably publish an announcement soon,
but so far we at least know the meeting will happen and it will be public.
Y’all come.

A dozen downstream Florida counties want to meet with the Valdosta City Council,
elected officials to elected officials,
to present a resolution they passed
urging the states of Florida and Georgia to do something about Valdosta’s sewage,
and to discuss raising funds to help Valdosta fix its sewage infrastructure,
so the Florida counties can restore their eco-tourism on the Withlacoochee, Alapaha, Suwannee, and Santa Fe Rivers.
Restoring eco-tourism came up again and again. It’s not just the actual sewage, which never gets to Taylor or Alachua Counties.
It’s the stigma of sewage in the rivers.
Fixing Valdosta’s spills and regular testing to find other sources are needed.

The new Florida state administration has done some surprising things,
such as revoking dozens of appointments by the previous governor,
but this one is really surprising.
I’m pretty sure I’ve recommended this purchase to the Suwannee River Water Management (SRWMD) Board. SRWMD had written up a property assessment on it years ago,
but I thought the asking price of
$8.5 million for River Error Farm was prohibitive.
Apparently the state got Hardee Spring for less than a quarter of that price.

Received Thursday.
The Rivers Task Force of the dozen downstream Florida counties
will be voting next Thursday on a
resolution
asking the State of Florida
(FDEP, SRWMD, etc.) to do something about Valdosta’s sewage spills.

What:
A meeting of the
Middle and Lower Suwannee River and Withlacoochee River Task Force

Directions:
From the intersection of Interstate 75 and
U.S. Highway 90 (exit 427) in the City of Lake City turn,
East onto U.S. Highway 90, travel approximately 450 feet to
SW Commerce Blvd, turn right (South) onto SW Commerce Blvd,
travel approximately 720 feet and the Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites
is on the left.

The
agenda, after the customary introductory items,
has only a resolution and Next Steps.

Not on the
agenda,
but mentioned in the
minutes
of the previous meeting:

The Task Force agreed that the next steps should be to request a
meeting with the Governor and Commissioner of Agriculture. Chair
Davis informed the Task Force that the next meeting will be held on Continue reading →